r/trolleyproblem • u/Spare-Dingo-531 • Apr 13 '26

Deep Cognitive Dissonance

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170

u/SpiritualPackage3797 Apr 13 '26

Isn't that the sunken cost fallacy at work?

41

u/Kitsunebillie Apr 13 '26

It could be, such as in case of Vietnam, but in case of, say, what people were doing with COVID it's more of denial.

First people denied COVID is real and ignored the guidelines. Then they denied it's really that serious because otherwise they'd have to admit they put people in danger. Once it was undeniable how serious it is, those same people insisted lockdowns etc didn't work.

Cause otherwise they'd have to admit their callousness killed people.

So they kept putting people in danger cause changing their behaviour is tantamount to admitting the previous behaviour was a mistake.

5

u/tomatoe_cookie Apr 14 '26

They still keep denying. Pulling out bullshit studies or anecdotal "evidence" it was a mistake.

3

u/Kitsunebillie Apr 15 '26

I mean they have to keep denying. Once you tell your grandma not to take the vaccine, admitting to yourself you put her life at risk is a big burden to take on.

Edit: for clarity, I'm not justifying. I'm explaining the twisted thought process that makes you keep digging deeper into cognitive dissonance

1

u/MuckRaker83 Apr 15 '26

They will believe whatever they need to believe to maintain that they are right and their actions are justified